Written Answers Thursday 4 November 2010

Scottish Executive

Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how long it takes on average to obtain guardianship orders under the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 for dementia patients in hospital beds, broken down by local authority.

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the maximum length of time it has taken to obtain guardianship orders under the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 for dementia patients in hospital beds in the last year, broken down by local authority.

Fergus Ewing: The information requested is not available.

  However, I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36009 on  9 September 2010 which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA.

  The subsequent answer giving some information on time taken in relation to guardianship orders can be found at:

  http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/ParliamentaryQuestions.asp.

Agriculture

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to (a) promote and (b) support farmers’ co-operatives.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government works closely with the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society to promote and support co-operatives. We have also supported five co-operation projects totalling £1.5 million under the Scottish Rural Development Programme Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation grant scheme.

Agriculture

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made alternative options available to dairy farmers in the Southern Isles ring-fence who have given up milk production.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Rural Development Programme offers a wide range of support options for farmers and land managers who diversify into other rural business activities.

Agriculture

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on dairy farmers in the Southern Isles ring-fence having given up milk production and are facing economic hardship.

Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the four written submissions which the Scottish Government has submitted to the Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee and which are available on the Parliament’s website.

Agriculture

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on whether dairy farmers might have had their property rights breached by the introduction of the Southern Isles ring-fence.

Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the four written submissions which the Scottish Government has submitted to the Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee and which are available on the Parliament’s website.

Agriculture

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on whether it is in the interest of the wider community for some dairy farmers in the Southern Isles ring-fence to suffer financial hardship by giving up milk production.

Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the four written submissions which the Scottish Government has submitted to the Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee and which are available on the Parliament’s website.

Agriculture

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on whether Islay-based milk producers having been able to raise income to finance new business ventures as a result of having access to the national milk quota market and whether producers elsewhere in the Southern Isles ring-fence area might also benefit from having similar access.

Richard Lochhead: Leasing or selling milk quota is one of a number options available to producers to raise additional income to finance new business ventures. The issue of whether producers in the Southern Isles ring-fence area might benefit from having similar access will be considered when the ring fence provisions are reviewed in 2012.

Agriculture

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what economic impact assessment was made before the introduction of the Southern Isles ring-fence for milk producers.

Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the four written submissions which the Scottish Government has submitted to the Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee and which are available on the Parliament’s website.

Children's Hearings (Scotland) Bill

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost of the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Bill (a) was prior to and (b) is since its introduction, broken down by how those costs were accrued.

Adam Ingram: The estimated cost of the Bill on introduction is set out in the Financial Memorandum to the Bill, pages 73 to 86 inclusive at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/bills/41-ChildrensHearing/b41s3-introd-en.pdf .

  A revised Financial Memorandum will be prepared and laid before the Parliament taking account of the changes made to the Bill at Stage 2.

Children's Hearings (Scotland) Bill

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is of (a) establishing and (b) annually running Children’s Hearings Scotland, as proposed in the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Bill.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the cost of the national body proposed in the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Bill compares with the cost of the existing arrangements.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding will be transferred from the local authority settlement to support the national body proposed in the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Bill and, if so, how much.

Adam Ingram: The information requested can be found in the Financial Memorandum to the Bill, pages 73 to 86 inclusive at:  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/bills/41-ChildrensHearingsb41s3-introd-en.pdf .

Drug Misuse

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on drug rehabilitation services in each year since 1999.

Fergus Ewing: Information on how much is spent by local authorities and NHS boards specifically on rehabilitation for drug problems is not held centrally; it is for local authorities and NHS boards to commission services to meet the needs of the local population.

  The Scottish Government allocates funding to NHS boards for drug treatment services, including rehabilitation. Table 1 provides the funding allocations from the Scottish Government to NHS boards for each of the last 10 years. It should be noted, however, that this table does not provide the complete picture of NHS spend on drug treatment and rehabilitation; NHS boards and other local partners are able to supplement these funds to tackle problem drug use, in order to meet the needs of the local population.

  Table 1: NHS Board Allocations for Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation

  

Year
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10


 
(£000)
(£000)
(£000)
(£000)
(£000)
(£000)
(£000)
(£000)
(£000)
(£000)
(£000)


Total NHS Board Allocation 
11,352
12,352
14,973
16,952
16,952
19,752
23,769
23,769
23,769
24,668
27,998



  In addition to this investment in frontline NHS drug treatment services, the Scottish Government also provides funding to a number of national organisations with a focus on driving forward the principles of Road to Recovery.

  Local authorities hold data on the amount that they spend on treating adults with addictions and substance misuse problems, this includes (but is not specific to) drug rehabilitation services. Table 2 provides the local authority net revenue expenditure on adults with addictions and substance misuse problems for each of the last 10 years. Care should be taken when comparing some of these totals, as explained in the notes in the following table.

  Table 2: Local Authorities’ Net Revenue Expenditure on Adults with Addictions and Substance Misuse Problems

  

Year
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004- 05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
 2009-10


 
(£000)
(£000)
(£000)
(£000)
(£000)
(£000)
(£000)
(£000)
(£000)
(£000)
(£000)


Total Local Authority Net Revenue Expenditure
8,159
8,975
11,449
23,285
22,741 
23,912 
25,860 
25,780 
27,875 
36,224
36,455



  Notes:

  1. Figures from 1999-2000 to 2001-02 exclude expenditure on addictions and management and support costs and are not comparable with 2002-03 onwards.

  2. When comparing revenue expenditure levels in 2008-09 to previous years, it is important to note that there was a change to the local government funding structure in 2008-09, with the former ring-fenced revenue grants rolled up into General Revenue Funding. As a result of this change, the figures are not wholly comparable.

  3. 2009-10 figures are provisional.

  It should be noted that, in addition to the above, resources for tackling drug misuse are provided through a number of other budgets. In particular, many NHS boards use resources from their unified budget to supplement funds provided through the drug misuse budget; the police use some of their resources towards tackling drug misuse; and further resources, such as those from the budget allocated to dealing with blood borne viruses, are used to deal with the types of problems associated with drug misuse.

Environment

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to promote the introduction of kerbside collections of used batteries.

Richard Lochhead: The provision of kerbside collection services and the materials collected is the responsibility of local authorities.

  Since 1 February 2010 retailers which place more than 32kg per year (equivalent to approximately 1400 AA batteries per year) of portable batteries on the market have an obligation to take back batteries in-store, free of charge, when they become waste.

Fisheries

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to encourage new entrants into the fishing industry.

Richard Lochhead: In September this year, with the support of the Scottish Fisheries Council, I published the Four Pillar Plan which provides a strategic framework under which the initiatives we support can be brigaded. The intention of the plan is to provide the means and opportunities to the fishing industry to weather current challenges and also to ensure its resilience in the future.

  The plan aims to:

  Improve the wider framework for European Fisheries Management;

  Manage quota and effort in order to promote sustainability and profitability;

  Maximise the value of the catch; and

  Ensure that we have a resilient fleet crewed by a skilled workforce.

  More than £12 million is now in place to support the new plan, which includes funding for a licence parking scheme, fleet modernisation and work to maximise the value of the catch. Licence parking, for example, provides opportunities for businesses to reduce their operating costs and improve their profitability. A more profitable industry will deliver more confidence in its future, which will encourage new entrants into the industry.

  The Four Pillar Plan is available at:  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/marine/Sea-Fisheries/ScottishFisheriesCounci/SFC140910Papers.

Fisheries

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives it supports to attract and retain deck hands in the fishing industry.

Richard Lochhead: In the summer of 2009, I announced the formation of the joint industry/government New Entrants Working Group, with a remit to deliver proposals which would enhance and sustain new entrants into the fishing industry. A key recommendation from the working group was that a coherent single career pathway for all new entrants to the catching sector be developed, with appropriate exit and re-entry points depending on an individual’s career aspirations.

  Marine Scotland officials are providing support to industry training experts and the Maritime Skills Alliance (MSA) sector skills body (which includes Seafish) as they progress work to establish new Modern Apprenticeship (MA) Frameworks for the sea fishing industry in Scotland. The MA framework was last reviewed in 2001 and the qualification no longer has industry recognition as a fit-for-purpose career progression route.

  The first outcome to be achieved has been establishing a Level 2 MA Framework in Sea Fishing in Scotland for the first time. This was approved by the Modern Apprenticeship Group (MAG) in July. This MA framework is, however, an interim solution available only until summer 2011, when the full consultative review of new qualifications for the sector is expected to conclude. This Level 2 MA Framework extends the accreditation of the existing Marine Vessel Support Level 2 SVQ qualification, previously funded through the skillseekers national training programme.

  The review being led by the MSA will see proposals for the development of new generic maritime industry MAs at levels 2 and 3 issued to the Scottish fishing industry stakeholders in November. While the MA frameworks will offer specific pathways for learners to qualify as a fishing deck hands and allow further progression to mate on a fishing vessel, the new qualifications’ core content structure will have transferability and recognition across all maritime sectors, such as merchant navy, offshore industry support or passenger transport. The timetable for this review in Scotland has a scheduled completion date of spring 2011 for the Level 2 Maritime MA, with the aim that the new qualification will be available to learners from summer 2011. The review into a new Level 3 Maritime MA will conclude later in 2011.

  A three week duration "Introduction to Commercial Fishing Course" (which includes all of the Maritime Coastguard Agency’s mandatory safety training) has been developed by the Fish Industry Training Association (FITA) in collaboration with Seafish, as the initial training intervention on a career pathway for new entrants. The Scottish Government supported plans by Seafish to fund a national roll-out of this course in 2010-11, to be delivered via the network of industry-led group training associations (GTAs) which cover the whole of mainland Scotland and the Highlands and Islands. However, the ongoing court action challenging Seafish’s right to impose a levy on fish imports has imposed severe financial constraints on the organisation and no funding has been available to support the planned roll-out. The Scottish Government is working with the industry on options to ensure that these courses for new entrants are still available during this period. An exceptional European Fisheries Fund (EFF) bid was made in October 2010 by the GTAs for support which would deliver the running of three courses (in Oban and Eyemouth) before the end of the current financial year.

  Grant aid for capital investment in the fisheries sector is also available under the EFF programme for 2007-13. EFF provides for capital grants to assist across a range of measures including assistance to young fishers (up to 40 years of age), who have worked at least five years as a fisher or have equivalent professional training, to purchase their first full, or part, ownership of an active fishing vessel (subject to eligibility criteria). To date, there have been eight awards made through this initiative.

Flood Prevention

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive with what flood prevention schemes it is assisting Perth and Kinross Council, showing the (a) financial costs and (b) location.

Richard Lochhead: Funding for flood risk management is no longer ring-fenced but is included within the overall level of capital support provided to local government. This provides local authorities with the flexibility to allocate the financial resources available to them on the basis of local needs and priorities having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and jointly agreed set of national and local priorities including the Scottish Government’s key strategic objectives. In 2010-11 the total capital support from the Scottish Government to Perth and Kinross Council amounted to £17.890 million. The settlement took account of the level of flood risk in the council’s area.

  Allocation of capital funding for flood prevention schemes within the overall resources provided to them is therefore rightly a decision for Perth and Kinross Council.

Food Safety

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the effect of increased levels of bisphenol A on the growth of children.

Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-37097 on 3 November 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Health

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure the continuation of telehealth services in the Scottish Borders following the removal of pump-priming funds from the Joint Improvement Team in March 2011.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government’s Joint Improvement Team is supporting the development of Telecare services across all 32 health and social care partnerships in Scotland to enhance the delivery of care services to people in their own homes and community settings. It has invested a total of £20 million in the Telecare Development Programme since its launch in August 2006.

  The 2010-11 Telecare allocation of £4 million through the Scottish Government’s eHealth programme is helping local care partnerships, including the Scottish Borders partnership, to make further progress in supporting people effectively at home as an alternative to hospital or care home admission.

  Though converging partly with Telecare, Telehealth services focus on addressing clinical remotely using digital technologies and their development is being led by the Scottish Centre for Telehealth, part of NHS24.

  Following the announcement of the UK Government’s Spending Review, the Scottish Government is now finalising its own plans. Decisions on funding for Telecare services will be taken in the light of the outcome to be announced to the Parliament later in November 2010.

Health

Elizabeth Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is to see an emergency hearing aid repair specialist, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not available centrally.

Health

Elizabeth Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has given to NHS boards with regard to emergency services for hearing aid repair.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Quality Standards for Adult Hearing Rehabilitation Service was published in April 2009. It makes clear that NHS boards should provide effective ongoing life time maintenance of hearing aids. In particular it states that all hearing aid repairs should be carried out within two days of the repair service receiving the hearing aid.

  To assist NHS boards to measure their progress towards meeting the quality standards for the adult hearing rehabilitation service an "Improvement Quality and Outcomes in Adult Audiology Rehabilitation service through Critical Evaluation – a Quality Rating Tool for Audiology Service" was also issued in April 2009.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many practising chiropractors there are and how many are registered with the General Chiropractic Council.

Nicola Sturgeon: Chiropractors must be registered with the General Chiropractic Council (GCC) in order to practise in the UK. In terms of the Chiropractors Act 1994 it is a criminal offence for anyone to describe himself/herself as any kind of chiropractor if he/she is not registered with the GCC.

  There are currently 2,728 chiropractors registered with the GCC, 172 of whom are registered as practising in Scotland.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that statutory regulation, degree qualification and continuing professional development have helped to increase the evidence base for the use of chiropractic.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has no functions in relation to the regulation of chiropractors, who are regulated as health professionals by the General Chiropractic Council (GCC), an independent regulatory body. Degree qualification and continuing professional development are both linked with statutory regulation by the GCC. The prime purpose of all such statutory regulation is to protect the public, not to gather an evidence base.

  The GCC sets standards of chiropractic education, conduct and practice, and recognises degree programmes that achieve those standards. It ensures that those who have registered continue to meet the requirements, including those for continuing professional development. It requires chiropractors to practise evidence-based care, which is defined as having three components: best available evidence; the preferences of the patient and the expertise of practitioners. This is reflected in the GCC’s Code of Practice and Standard of Proficiency, which can be accessed at: http://www.gcc-uk.org/page.cfm?page_id=1550.

  The GCC recently commissioned an evidence review of manual therapies, which can be accessed at: http://www.gcc-uk.org/page.cfm?page_id=1550.

Housing

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive on what date it expects a tenancy deposit protection scheme to become operational.

Alex Neil: A public consultation on draft regulations to set the framework for tenancy deposit schemes in Scotland, and the conditions for their approval, ended on 3 October 2010. We are currently analysing the consultation responses.

  We plan to introduce the regulations to the Parliament by the end of 2010. This will enable proposals for national tenancy deposit schemes to be submitted to ministers in early 2011.

  Until we receive proposals, it is not possible to predict the exact date on which a tenancy deposit scheme will become operational.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have agreed to participate in the National Housing Trust.

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses each of the local authorities that have agreed to participate in the National Housing Trust are proposing to build.

Alex Neil: 12 local authorities have agreed to participate in the current procurement for the National Housing Trust initiative. The local authorities and the maximum number of houses they are willing to procure are as follows:

  

Local Authority
Maximum Number of Houses to be Procured


Aberdeen City Council
 50


Dumfries and Galloway Council
100


Dundee City Council
 75


East Lothian Council
 30


East Renfrewshire Council
150


City of Edinburgh Council
600


Falkirk Council
100


Glasgow City Council
400


Highland Council
 50


Midlothian Council
 75


Scottish Borders Council
100


Stirling Council
 50



  The exact number of houses each local authority procures will be dependent on the outcome of the procurement process.

Justice

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many recorded incidents of crime involving laser pointers were reported to each police force in (a) 2007, (b) 2008 and (c) 2009 and have been reported in 2010.

Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally.

Justice

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what conclusions it has drawn from the community sex offender disclosure pilot, Keeping Children Safe, in the Tayside Police force area.

Kenny MacAskill: The Tayside Community Disclosure Pilot has been a real success. An independent evaluation report of the pilot, which can be accessed on the Scottish Government website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/10/25093915/0 , was very positive, finding that the pilot enhanced existing child protection arrangements, with feedback showing parents to be "very positive" about the initiative.

  The scheme expanded to include Fife and Central Scotland Police on 27 October and all Scottish Forces will be running the scheme by March 2011.

Justice

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place since May 2007 between officials, police and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service on giving communities the right to be told when an individual with regular unsupervised access to children has convictions for child sex offences and is considered a risk.

Kenny MacAskill: Since May 2007, there has been regular discussion and communication between the Scottish Government, the police and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service on the provision of information to communities to keep children safe from individuals who have convictions for child sex offences.

  Specifically, the Scottish Government has announced the roll out of the Community Disclosure Scheme across Scotland following a successful pilot in Tayside. A multi-agency Project Board chaired by the Association of Chief Police Officers Scotland, will oversee the roll-out of the scheme, which will enable parents, carers and guardians to formally register their concerns about a named individual who has contact with their children, and be informed whether that individual has a conviction for sex offences against children.

Museums

Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made regarding the Dundee Victoria and Albert Museum project.

Fiona Hyslop: The Victoria and Albert at Dundee partnership has made significant progress on developing proposals for the project including an extensive business case and business plan. I congratulate the partnership on the highly successful exhibition in Dundee of the architectural competition and on making the selection of a preferred bidder for the architectural and design work, announced on 3 November 2010. The Scottish Government has provided financial support for these developments. We remain committed to making a significant capital contribution to the project, which I hope to announce following the conclusion of the Spending Review.

Museums

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussion it has had with The Clipper Ship City of Adelaide Ltd following the publication of the options appraisal for the clipper ship, HMS Carrick or City of Adelaide.

Fiona Hyslop: I met with representatives of The Clipper Ship City of Adelaide Ltd during their recent visit to Scotland to hear about their recent work on the project. The discussions have been very productive, and already significant progress has been made on the technical and logistical proposals for the transport of the vessel. There are also exciting possibilities emerging around the cultural links between Scotland and Australia, and those of the Scottish diaspora, directly linked with emigration to South Australia on the vessel. I will maintain contact with my counterpart in South Australia over the project and my officials will continue to work very closely with the group as the project develops over the coming months.

NHS Hospitals

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources it will make available to ensure that full-time accident and emergency services at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy are maintained until the opening of the new hospital building.

Nicola Sturgeon: As the member knows, as part of its programme of service change set out in Right for Fife, NHS Fife has been planning since 2002 to move to a new model of accident and emergency and acute medical service based in Victoria Hospital and supported by a minor injuries service at Queen Margaret Hospital. That move is due to take place in early 2012. I expect NHS Fife to make the transition to the new service model in a way that best meets patients’ clinical needs and ensures their safety.

NHS Staff

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many electroencephalograph (EEG) technicians are in post and what support the NHS provides for out-of-hours EEG access for people with suspected acute epileptic seizure activity.

Shona Robison: Information on the number of electroencephalograph (EEG) technicians in post is not held centrally.

  In terms of NHS support for out of hours access to an EEG, we expect NHS boards to follow the recommendations in the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network guidelines on epilepsy in adults and children. These indicate when an EEG should be performed. It is essential that this should be done in timely fashion, so that the necessary treatment can be started.

NHS Staff

Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support is available to NHS employees who have suffered stress as a result of bullying and harassment in their place of work.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Staff Governance Standard commits NHSScotland employers to ensuring that all staff are treated fairly and consistently and that the minimum standards as described in the relevant Partnership Information Network (PIN) policy are met or exceeded. The PIN policy on tackling bullying and harassment stipulates that NHS boards must have mechanisms of support available to employees who feel they have been the victims of bullying and harassment. Those support mechanisms can include access to confidential contacts and professional counselling. The dignity at work project was also launched early this year to promote a positive working culture and behaviours across NHSScotland and to develop tools and behaviours that will reduce the perceived or actual levels of bullying and harassment felt across the organisation.

National Health Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS Scotland provides advice and treatment free to failed asylum seekers.

Nicola Sturgeon: Asylum seekers in Scotland, who are registered with the UK Border Agency, are eligible to access NHS care and services until they leave the country, on the same basis as a person who is ordinarily resident in Scotland. This is regardless of the status of their application for asylum as a refugee and includes failed asylum seekers.

Older People

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to establish a commissioner for older people prior to April 2012.

Shona Robison: We have no plans to establish the office of a commissioner for older people. We have, however, established the Scottish Older People’s Assembly as a voice for older people: it first met in the Parliament on 2 October 2009, and will hold its second meeting in Glasgow on 10 November 2010.

People with Disabilities

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for the Scottish Driving Assessment Service.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Driving Assessment Service holds clinics at its base, the South East Mobility and Rehabilitation (SMART) Centre in Edinburgh, and also, using a mobile unit, at six locations across Scotland - Aberdeen, Dumfries, Dundee, Inverness, Irvine and Paisley.

  The average waiting times for assessment at each location are as follows:

  Edinburgh: 26 weeks

  Aberdeen: 32 weeks

  Dumfries: 34 weeks

  Dundee: 23 weeks

  Inverness: 29 weeks

  Irvine: 24 weeks

  Paisley: 27 weeks

People with Disabilities

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many referrals have been made to the Scottish Driving Assessment Service in each of the last five years.

Nicola Sturgeon: The number of referrals made to the Scottish Driving Assessment Service in each of the last five years is as follows:

  2005-06: 1,250

  2006-07: 1,269

  2007-08: 1,292

  2008-09: 1,274

  2009-10: 1,285

People with Disabilities

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been provided to the Scottish Driving Assessment Service in each of the last five years.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Driving Assessment Service is part funded by NHS Lothian. Match funding has been provided in each of the last five years by the (then) Scottish Government Transport Directorate. This is as follows:

  2006-07: £79,000.00

  2007-08: £90,857.14

  2008-09: £96,857.14

  2009-10: £96,857.14

  2010-11: £96,857.14

Renewable Energy

Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will assist Inverclyde Renewables Alliance in developing Inverclyde as a renewables manufacturing location following its inclusion in the west coast cluster in the National Renewables Infrastructure Plan.

Jim Mather: Phase 2 of the National Renewables Infrastructure Plan (N-RIP) sets out a clear route map for how port/site owners can seek public funding support for their investment plans and the criteria that will be applied by Scottish Enterprise in appraising applications. This process will ensure that the limited public sector funds available are prioritised to those locations that are attracting end user demand but are being held back by a lack of private sector investment. Within this context Scottish Enterprise will continue to help the Inverclyde Renewables Alliance articulate their investment plans and provide guidance on funding options.

  The N-RIP Phase 2 report has been published and is available on the Scottish Enterprise website at:  https://www.scottish-enterprise.com/your-sector/manufacturing/news-se-smas/News%20Details.aspx?itemId={F36381C2-7234-4D4D-B61A-385B152DCDBC}

  In addition, Scottish Enterprise continues to support the Riverside Inverclyde Urban Regeneration Company (URC) with funds from its ring fenced URC budget.

Scottish Government Departments

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what work is being undertaken by the Protocol and UK Relations unit.

Fiona Hyslop: The Protocol and UK Relations Division is responsible for:

  (i) all matters of ministerial, royal and ceremonial protocol, including royal, state and VIP visits and events, jubilee celebrations, garden parties, the appointments of Lord-Lieutenants and of the Lord High Commissioner of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the issue of royal warrants and charters and the use of royal names. It also works on other ceremonial issues including flag flying policy and bank holidays in Scotland.

  (ii) the overview of the Scottish Government’s intergovernmental relations with the UK Government, the devolved administrations of Wales and Northern Ireland and the Crown Dependencies. It coordinates high-level bi-lateral contacts between ministers (e.g. meetings between the First Minister and Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister). It provides the Scottish element of the secretariat for the re-established Joint Ministerial Committee, including work under the recently introduced dispute resolution protocol. It also leads on the Scottish Government’s participation in the British-Irish Council, and heads the project to establish the standing secretariat in Edinburgh. It has a role in awareness-raising and capacity-building both within the Scottish Government and in Whitehall, working with a network of contacts in all UK Government Departments and the National School for Government.

  The division led the Scottish Government’s significant contribution to the preparations for and delivery of the Papal visit in September 2010.

Vaccinations

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-35200 by Nicola Sturgeon on 3 August 2010, what side effects were recorded in the 77 reports considered serious by the reporter.

Nicola Sturgeon: As of 2 September 2010, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has received a total of 75 reports of suspected adverse reactions (ADRs) associated with the use of HPV vaccine (including Cervarix and brand unspecified reports) from Scotland, covering 106 adverse reactions, which were considered serious by the reporter. These events are listed in the following table below as provided by MHRA. The total number of cases considered serious has decreased from 77 to 75, since two cases were identified as duplicate reports; these have therefore been discounted from the data.

  The number and nature of suspected ADRs received so far is very much in line with what the MHRA expected to receive at this time and no serious new risks have been identified. Following administration of at least 4 million doses across the UK since September 2008, the balance of risks and benefits of Cervarix remains positive.

  It is important to note that such reports do not necessarily mean that the events described were caused by the vaccine. Reporters are encouraged to report suspected ADRs i.e. the reporter does not have to be sure that the vaccine caused the reaction – a mere suspicion will suffice. Therefore, reports submitted to MHRA may be adverse reactions to the vaccine, they may be related to the process of vaccination rather than to the vaccine itself (e.g. nervousness or anxiety about needles or vaccination); or they may be purely coincidental events that would have occurred anyway in the absence of vaccination (e.g. events due to underlying medical conditions). These events are therefore not a summary of known or proven adverse reactions to the vaccines and must not be interpreted and used as such.

  A list of the recognised side effects is provided in the product information for healthcare professionals (Summary of Product Characteristics) and patients (Patient Information Leaflet) which is available to view at www.medicines.org.uk.

  

Reaction (SOC)
Reaction (PT)
Number of Reports
Number of Fatal Reports


Congenital, Familial and Genetic Disorders 
Cerebral Palsy
1
0


Eye Disorders 
Photophobia 
3
0


Gastrointestinal Disorders 
Nausea 
3
0


General Disorders and Administration Site Conditions
Chest Discomfort
6
0


 
Chills
1
0


 
Condition Aggravated 
1
0


 
Feeling Hot
3
0


 
Feeling Of Body Temperature Change
1
0


 
Malaise
3
0


 
Pyrexia
4
0


Immune System Disorders 
Anaphylactic Shock 
1
0


 
Type I Hypersensitivity
1
0


Infections And Infestations 
Herpes Zoster
1
0


Investigations 
Cell Marker Increased
1
0


Metabolism And Nutrition Disorders 
Decreased Appetite
3
0


Musculoskeletal And Connective Tissue Disorders 
Arthralgia
1
0


 
Arthritis
1
0


 
Muscular Weakness
1
0


 
Neck Pain
3
0


 
Pain In Extremity
4
0


Nervous System Disorders 
Convulsion 
2
0


 
Dysgeusia
2
0


 
Dyskinesia
1
0


 
Grand Mal Convulsion
2
0


 
Headache
6
0


 
Hypertonia 
1
0


 
Hypoaesthesia 
2
0


 
Lethargy
3
0


 
Loss Of Consciousness
3
0


 
Migraine
1
0


 
Paraesthesia
1
0


 
Sensory Loss
2
0


 
Syncope
3
0


 
Tremor
1
0


Psychiatric Disorders 
Anxiety
3
0


 
Confusional State
1
0


 
Fear
3
0


Respiratory, Thoracic And Mediastinal Disorders 
Asthma
4
0


 
Dyspnoea
5
0


 
Throat Tightness
3
0


 
Wheezing
3
0


Skin And Subcutaneous Tissue Disorders 
Pruritus
3
0


 
Rash
3
0


 
Skin Exfoliation
1
0


 
Urticaria
1
0


Vascular Disorders 
Flushing
1
0


 
Peripheral Coldness
1
0


 
Shock
1
0


 
Total Number of Reactions 
106
 


 
Total Number of Reports
75
 


 
Total Number of Fatal Reports 
0

Voluntary Sector

Anne McLaughlin (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact of the Comprehensive Spending Review will be on the voluntary sector in Scotland.

John Swinney: We recognise the fundamental role that the third sector has in creating a more successful Scotland. We are considering the UK Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review and its implications for the draft Scottish budget. We recognise that the current economic conditions place pressures on the third sector but make the third sector all the more important to our communities.

  I had direct discussions with senior representatives of the third sector to inform our plans for the next spending period which will be announced shortly.